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Peach Noodle Kugel

Note: As you would probably suspect, I am not an authority on Jewish or kosher cooking. Please see important clarifications regarding this dish below.

I’ll be sharing a mix of both Passover and Easter recipes this week. I just love this time of year. Celebration, new life, cherry blossoms, daffodils, Passover, Easter, and delicious food galore.

Well, I should clarify: daffodils, only if you don’t have a cow who thinks she lives in your yard and is entitled to munch on daffodils for a late afternoon snack.

I’m sorry. I’m still just a little angry over it. If she touches my peonies, Daisy might have to go live with another family of suckers.

Back to the food: let me just say right off the bat that I know about as much about traditional Passover dishes as I know about Trigonometry. But there’s one distinctive difference between the two: I wouldn’t touch Trigonometry with a ten-foot pole. Trigonometry can take a long walk off a short pier, as far as I’m concerned. Trigonometry can go jump in a creek. I spit on Trigonometry!
“Bender, did you know that without Trigonometry, there’d be no engineering?”

“Without lamps, there’d be no light.”

(Name that movie.)

On the other hand, I actually love Passover/Seder food. In Los Angeles, I was lucky enough to have landed in a workplace with a delightful bunch of Jewish women. They spoke Yiddish amongst themselves and I wanted to be like them, so I pretty much assumed the role of a Jewish woman, too. Me and my red hair and freckles. I really did feel such a kinship with them, and after just a few months, I was throwing around words like bubbe and bupkis and meshuggeneh to beat the band. Then they invited me to Seder dinner with them one year. It was my first.

That dinner was the delight of my life. I remember everything about it. I loved every minute, every person, every word…and every bite.

I loved this Peach Noodle Kugel, is what I loved.

Noodle Kugel is common in Jewish cuisine, and there are many variations. Made with egg noodles and a variety of either sweet or savory ingredients, noodle kugel can often resembles bread pudding more than anything else—sometimes, after baking, it can actually be cut into squares.

I’m making mine the way my friends made it, though—more of a loose noodle dish with a buttery/creamy base, with a crunchy corn flake topping. Delicious! (Clarification: This particular recipe is not kosher for Passover, obviously, because it contains dairy—and dairy is not to be served in the same meal as meat. But [see below] there are plenty of Passover-friendly variations.)

UPDATE: The noodles and cornflakes are also out. Not kosher. “This particular recipe is not kosher for Passover because it contains corn and wheat””both of which are not to be consumed during the entire eight day Passover celebration. The fact is, dairy is fine for Pesach as long as it is not consumed with meat.” (Thank you, Marcy!)

UPDATE: Don’t listen to me.

UPDATE: Instead, please reread the above part about my not knowing very much about Passover cooking. Thank you for your cooperation.

***This is the part where I decide not to tell you that in my attempt to express my gratitude at being invited to a Seder, I showed up with a Honey Baked Ham.***

True story.

Here’s what you need.

And don’t wait for peach season, baby—only canned peaches will do. Just drain ’em, then roughly chop them into large chunks.

Start by boiling the noodles.

Cook them until they’re about halfway done.

I LOVE No Yolks noodles.

Drain the noodles, then throw them in a large bowl with a few tablespoons of butter.

Zest one lemon…

And throw the zest in with the noodles.

Fold it all together and let the butter melt and coat the noodles.

(FYI: You could throw in some chopped parsley and some freshly grated Parmesan and make this a quick summertime lunch. Lemon and pasta just go together!)

Next, pour in some sugar…

And a little cinnamon.

Yum.

Fold it together to evenly distribute.

Next, beat the eggs and pour them on in there.

Then throw in the peaches!

Isn’t this a weird recipe?

But please. Trust Pioneer Woman.

Fold it together again and sprinkle in plenty of salt. The salty-sweet mix balance is important!

And finally, splash in a couple cups of whole milk.

Note that the inclusion of dairy obviously removes the kosher-for-Passover quality from this dish [because dairy can’t be served with meat], and there are plenty of good noodle kugel recipes that are kosher.

When you mix it all together, the noodles will be swimming in a rich, creamy sauce.

Yum! When you make it, the level of the liquid will actually be higher than this.

Now we need to make the crunchy topping! Throw some cornflakes into a big Ziploc bag.

Then seal the bag and crush ’em a little.

Does anyone remember that Ziploc commercial from the late eighties where a lady puts some beets into a Ziploc and starts freaking out and singing “BOP THE BEETS! YEAH, BABY BOP THE BEETS! YEAH, BABY!”

Gosh, did that ever anchor into my psyche at some point.

I’ll never forget.

Melt some butter, then dump in some brown sugar.

Stir it together…

Then pour it into the bag with the crushed corn flakes and BOP THE BEETS until the corn flakes are coated.

Sprinkle them all over the top of the noodle dish, then pop it in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the top is starting to turn golden brown.

Ahhh. There it is!

Now, more traditional noodle kugels hold together more than this and can actually be cut into squares. But I like the end product to be more loosey goosey. The No Yolks noodles help this—they just never become soft enough to get sticky.

This is so good. Why not try it next to the ham for your Easter meal?

Am I going to get in trouble for saying that?

Sorry.

China Check: Herend Rothschild Bird.

Amen.

Now, one of the best things you can serve with Peach Noodle Kugel for a Passover meal is a delicious braised brisket.

I’ll show you the full recipe tomorrow, but here’s a peek so you can get your groceries ready:

You’ll need a big ol’ beef brisket, and you’ll need to trim the huge slab of fat off the top.

Just whistle while you work. It makes fat removal easier.

Then you’ll need to make this totally simple marinade.

As in, too easy for words.

Then you pour it over the brisket.

Then you marinate it overnight!

I just popped mine in the oven this morning, as it’ll take many hours to cook.

THANK YOU for having Passover dishes on your website! My husband loves kugel, alas I do not, but I can’t wait to see the braised brisket recipe. We’re having chicken tonight for our seder but I’ve got a brisket for later in the week, would love to try your recipe! Thanks again!

http://www.cpzdesigns.com Carol

THANK YOU for having Passover dishes on your website! My husband loves kugel, alas I do not, but I can’t wait to see the braised brisket recipe. We’re having chicken tonight for our seder but I’ve got a brisket for later in the week, would love to try your recipe! Thanks again!

http://www.howsweeteats.com Jessica @ How Sweet

I have had this before, but never with peach! Sounds delicious!

http://www.howsweeteats.com Jessica @ How Sweet

I have had this before, but never with peach! Sounds delicious!

http://www.thecoupongoddess.blogspot.com melanie

Peaches and noodles are an interesting combination. I love kugel, so I might give it a whirl.

I still have some canned peaches from last summer’s canning…I’m not sure about this but it LOOKS good. Thanks for all your sharing…I’m looking forward to the other recipes…
We have been doing brunch (in the afternoons) on Easter for the past few years. Our new tradition!

http://www.thetopiarylady.blogspot.com The Topiary Lady

I still have some canned peaches from last summer’s canning…I’m not sure about this but it LOOKS good. Thanks for all your sharing…I’m looking forward to the other recipes…
We have been doing brunch (in the afternoons) on Easter for the past few years. Our new tradition!

http://twitter.com/marbear Marian

It’s only not kosher if you eat it with meat… by itself it’s juuust fine.

http://twitter.com/marbear Marian

It’s only not kosher if you eat it with meat… by itself it’s juuust fine.

Rose

I have a question about your comment about the kugel not being kosher. dairy products are fine to be kosher as long as they’re not mixed with meat. did you mean that since the passover seder is always a meat meal, that one couldn’t include this kugel for an overall kosher passover? I thought it could also be that you can’t mix eggs with dairy, but I’m pretty sure you can…

Rose

I have a question about your comment about the kugel not being kosher. dairy products are fine to be kosher as long as they’re not mixed with meat. did you mean that since the passover seder is always a meat meal, that one couldn’t include this kugel for an overall kosher passover? I thought it could also be that you can’t mix eggs with dairy, but I’m pretty sure you can…

http://twitter.com/marbear Marian

PS – looks delish!

http://twitter.com/marbear Marian

PS – looks delish!

http://www.acupcakeformoose.com A Cupcake For Moose

Mmm, first I’ve heard of this noodle dessert but it looks yummy! Of course you could put peaches and brown sugar on cardboard and I’d probably eat it. For real. 🙂
– Rachel from A Cupcake for Moose

http://www.acupcakeformoose.com A Cupcake For Moose

Mmm, first I’ve heard of this noodle dessert but it looks yummy! Of course you could put peaches and brown sugar on cardboard and I’d probably eat it. For real. 🙂
– Rachel from A Cupcake for Moose

http://forloveorfunny.com Lynn from For Love or Funny

When I saw the word “Kugel,” I thought you were giving us a recipe for Kegel exercises. I think I need therapy.

http://forloveorfunny.com Lynn from For Love or Funny

When I saw the word “Kugel,” I thought you were giving us a recipe for Kegel exercises. I think I need therapy.

http://elisharose.blogspot.com Julie at Elisharose

That is Fun-ky. I’m not sure, but I love peaches. So maybe.

http://elisharose.blogspot.com Julie at Elisharose

That is Fun-ky. I’m not sure, but I love peaches. So maybe.

http://freebies-by-lisbonlioness.blogspot.com Steff

Breakfast Club! (do I get Brownie Points? lol) My grandfather used to love noodles with all things sweet, maybe I should try this one and see if I inherited his taste?